# US 2019/0174389 A1 · Reliable reporting in wireless mesh network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0174389 A1 - Document ID: US20190174389A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,128 - Filed: 2017-07-20 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-02 - Assignees: Signify Holding B.V. - Applicants: Signify Holding B.V. - Inventors: Antonie Leonardus Johannes KAMP; Niels VAN TETRODE; Daniel Martin GÖRGEN; Leendert Teunis ROZENDAAL; Martinus Wilhelmus BLÜM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190174389A1 ## CPC - H04W 40/10: based on available power or energy - H04L 1/08: by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system {(H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence)} - H04L 5/0055: {Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK (for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861)} - H04W 84/18: Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In a wireless mesh network, a battery operated node can select a parent node via which messages are routed to further nodes. The parent node can initially be selected based on signal strength. The node receives acknowledgements for messages sent, if they arrive. The node calculates a reliability indicator of the parent node based on the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received. If the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold the node selects a new parent node, based on second selection criteria. For example, the node with the next greatest signal strength. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a node in a wireless mesh network, the method comprising: the node selecting, based on first selection criteria, a parent node through which it will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, wherein the first selection criteria comprise signal strength, subsequently the node sending one or more messages destined to at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the selected parent node, subsequently the node calculating a reliability indicator of the parent node by receiving from the parent node acknowledgements received from the one or more further nodes said messages were destined for, and subsequently the node selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria, when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the second selection criteria comprise signal strength; wherein the step of the node selecting a new parent node is conditional based on one or more of: the time passed since the last selection of a new parent node, the number of times a new parent node has been selected in a predetermined time period, and the number of nodes capable of operating as a parent node from which a new parent node can be selected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the node selects as parent node a node, capable of functioning as a parent node, having the greatest signal strength as measured by the node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, wherein, although the second selection criteria is signal strength, preference is given to selecting as parent node a node other than the current parent node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the node is a sensor node sending messages destined for a further node operating as a collector node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: the node selecting, based on the reliability indicator, a retransmission strategy for retransmitting a message for which no acknowledgement has been received, and the node executing the retransmission strategy when a message is not acknowledged by the further node said message was destined for. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the retransmission strategy comprises resending messages of a first type and not resending messages of a second type. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method according to claim 6, wherein messages of the first type are messages triggered by a single event and/or a periodic update and/or wherein messages of the second type are messages triggered by a burst event. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the retransmission strategy comprises resending a message as a unicast message via the parent node when no acknowledgement is received. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the message is resent as a broadcast message via the parent node when no acknowledgement is received. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein the message is resent as a unicast or broadcast message through a further node, not being the parent node, and/or directly from the node, when no acknowledgement is received. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein a message is resent no more than a predetermined maximum number of times. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A computer program product arranged for, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform all the steps of a method according to claim 1. ### Claim 13 A device arranged for operating as a node in a wireless mesh network, the device comprising: an interface arranged for communicating with the wireless mesh network, a processor arranged for sending and receiving messages via the interface, wherein the processor is further arranged for: selecting, based on first selection criteria, a parent node through which the device will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, wherein the first selection criteria comprise signal strength, subsequently sending one or more messages destined to at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the selected parent node, subsequently calculating a reliability indicator of the parent node by receiving from the parent node acknowledgements for which an acknowledgement has been received from the one or more further nodes said messages were destined for, and subsequently selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria, when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, wherein the second selection criteria comprise signal strength; wherein the processor selecting a new parent node is further conditional based on one or more of: the time passed since the last selection of a new parent node, the number of times a new parent node has been selected in a predetermined time period, and the number of nodes capable of operating as a parent node from which a new parent node can be selected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A device according to claim 13, wherein the processor is further arranged for selecting, based on the reliability indicator, a retransmission strategy for retransmitting a message for which no acknowledgement has been received, and wherein the processor is arranged for executing the selected retransmission strategy when a message is not acknowledged by the further node said message was destined to.